Dress-form.



PATENTED DEG. 25, 1906.

`P. A. SMITH.

DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..2,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. PRUDENCE VANN SMITH, OF PINE HILL, NEENr Yltl.

DRESS-FORM..

ivo. 889,431.

Specification of Letters atent.

Fate-nt dEen. :E 5, 1 906.

ippiicaeu ind narnia 190e. serian@ 303,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, PRUDENCE ANN SMITH, residing at Pine Hill, in the county of Ulster and State. of New York, have inyented certain new andv useful Improvements in Dress- Forms, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, such as will enable othersskillcd in the art to which it appen 'tains to make -and use the same.

This invention relates to dress-forms; and one of its objects is to provide a device of the above character which will be simple and durable in construction and capable of being quickly ,changed or adjusted to differentsized forms, according to the size and shape 'of person for whom garments are beingmat e.

Another object is to provide in an inated orpneumatic dress-form means whereby the 'same may be made to correspond exactly with the contour of a human ligure.

-lA further object is to so construct the form that the' several parte of which it is comprised may be disconnected from one anotherv and stored or packed to occupy little space when notin use.-`

.Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

' The invention accordingly consists in the features' of construction,A combinations of elements, and Yarrangement of parts which will be yexemplied in the device hereinafter described-and the scope of'the application of which will be indicated in the following K- are illustrated two of the various possible einbodiments of my invention, .Figure l is a view in pers ective showing one of the embodiments t ercof in an inde-ted condition. Fig. 2 a similar view of the inner iniiated forni. Fig. 3 is a'vert'ical sectional view taken through F ig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a slightly-different embodiment thereof. p Fig. 5 is a view showing the form and its su porting arts collapsed and stored :Within t ehollowlbase portion. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Similar Vreference characters refer to similar Y flated cannot be madeV to correspond exactly to all of' the transv:. measurements of a human form, and in eliminating these'digtliculties .l have found ii; desirable to ovide mechanical moans adapted to conn together opposite walls of the inflate form, so that certain parts or areas thereof may be positively retained against bulging under the pressure of inllation. I have also made the means for connecting the walls of the casing adjustable, whereby said connected parts or. areas maybe depressed to di'li'erent degrees according to the transverse dimensions of a human ligure.

It will bcapparcnt from the following de scription of 'the embodiments l have selected to illustrato my :invention that I obtain the above and other advantages through the provision of a simple and elilcient device and., moreover, one which can be readily collapsed in small space for storage'or transportation.

y'Reierring now to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and (i, there is shown at l an iniiatable bag, herein. designated iornn which may be made oi flexible., elastic, or non-elastic material and conforming when inflated approximately to the shape of the body portion of a human figure. Form l is mounted upon a base portion 2 and is provided with a tube 3, by means of whichv it may be inFiated with air, either by' the operator blowing into the same or by means of a suitable air-pump connected therewith. A check-valve 4 is provided in tube 3. Extending transversely through form i are apertures 6 and 7. As shown herein, one of these apertures is pro-r vided slightly above the bust portion and one near each of the shoulder portions.`

Upon'iorm l when in deflated or collapsed condition is placed one o'fa series of ditlere'nt-sizcd covers or casings S, constructed of a relati\;cly inelastic material and made according to measurements taken TOO from the person 'for whom the garment is inl tended, preferably by fitting the casing` diother suitable `devices extending .from 'said y casing. I As will be readily'V understood, when form l is inflated by pumping or blowing air into the IVO sainey casing 8 will be' distended to produce a.

form according to'which'the garment-:nav be o 19, the upper surface of sa.

macle'or tted. lt has been found, however, that owing to the pressure of inflation certain parts or areas of casino' 8 haven tendency to en and or bulge slight y, to remedy this y deect l have provided a plurality of tapes, es et 1l, Fig. Li, said topes being secured to one Well and extending transversely' thereof through openings 6 and 7 of form 1 and connectecl with suitable devices, es eyes, secured xo to the opposite wall of said casing. Tapes il vere or" exible but relatively inelastic Insite rial und correspond exectl) in length to `the 'corresponding transverse dimensions of A'the 4person for Whom the garment is to 'he oonstructeo.

llhile the l'connecting means employed in t'he vshove 4relation ere shown es tapes, cords mey,^lzs Winke-apparent, he used., and bythe term tapes, vas 'usegl herein,v i intend to inzo clncle any 'flexible relatively inelastic Inernher capable of'being employed in this reletion. f

ltl'iough lthe connecting-'tapes could he 4employed with @quel facility ss connecting 2 5 Inca-ns for enypcitionoi theyre-ils the cssirig, Eit yhas been found in practice that theV ertsoi the cursing most liet/le to exponrl or vliulge are those ahove the hust portion sini neer the shoulder portion, and it is those i 3o ports th et l have connected by means orp the tenes '1 1.

n the venfooliinezot illustrated in 4 l provide form 1 with a. permanent envelop or i covering i2, secured to bese port' sei., i

covering *being oie size slightly less then-tiret ,s to 'which ,igor-in i will ever he inflated. iti will he understood, of course, 'het covering l l2 in use is interposed hetween Vforno l. and 8, the unused portions thereof lying in l 4o folds, et 13. in this cinhorliinent the l tapes are douhlel and exten'.l `lrom'onel well )l of' covering 12, to which in this instance they 'are secured, through openings 6 enfl T and til-rough openings 14, proviflefl in the oppo ,l site side of said covering, sufi are adepte-:l to l have their operative length shortened or! lengthcner'l according to the transverse di- I rnensions flesire'rl to be secured7A the con- 'nested trees being held in xerl relation by I 5o 'knots l5 tied in saill. topes, which engage with Il l the walls of openings i4. i rlfhe lressniorin .vhen in use is .mounted l u on s sectional standard 16, comprised bye l p urality of lletoohehle sections cupohle ofi adjustment end held 'in :nl iustofl position'hy g `Ineens of set-screws 17, enabling the same to l he maintained at any desired height. S'tenfll ard 16 is mounted rlctechuhly upon e plate 18, let into the 'upper woll of n hollow hose i irl platte Corning flush with the upper surface of seid hollow' hase. By ineens of this construction the dress-torm when dcilsterl and the several ports of the sectional stenlhud may bedisconnected one from another nml stored orl garment is intended.

'cause the form to he retainef'l substantially rigid. The dress-forrn in this condition is ready-'for use, and a ferment to he matie may he iitted thereon Without 'the presence of the person for Whom the garment is irltencled. Should the pressure of inllzrtionten toca-use certain ports. or arcos of ithe cnsin to loe expended or distended, Itspes l1 wilretain the sinne in their pro er relation, 'sind 1hy 85 reason of the edjusts'ile character of seid tapes, as shown. in the eniholiment 'illustrsted in Fig. 4, the transverse liroens'ions of the-form 'rneybe changed at Wi'llhy'si-mply drawing thernthrough'the openings provided in covering 11?.'snil tying'the free ends-thereof oustide openings 14.

Vvlhile lthe form is Well adopted 'to `ettfn'n the objects of my invention Withoutthecovering shown in Fig. 4, this covering is useful` in protecting the inflated torni, and 'its resence renders less likely the puncturing-o l said form when e garment is heingittec'l-or pinned upon the outer casing. `It will accordingly he seen that l have provided e. construction well adapted to attain the objects or my nvention end one which may he rnedelto-clm-` forni exactly to the fliametricztl measurements of the several 'portionso' n. 'human ligure. The form', being collapsible-rnliy'he readily stored 'in smell com oss "when not in use, und hy reason of theiru justahl'e 'chsracter of the standard upon which it is mounted the length or hang of skirts may he readily determined.

-l/Vhile the forni hereinillustreteil is de signed particularly fortitting of Womens 'garinents, it will 'he apparent that the same may he used in the ttingof 'garments Afor nien, end in. any case it will heli-understood that when en individual casing has QriCeheen` constructed it is possible by itscoperetion i with the inflatable form to secur'eithe 'precise4 dimensions of the garment t0 he fitted with out the presence ol the person. for Whoru'the IOO Another important use to which my invention may he put is in surgical operations for correcting spinal curvatures orothe'r clefects of the spine, as in cases Where itisdesired to construct plaster casts. Heretof'ore in such operations it has been necessary to koop the person being o erotetl u on fsuspenrlcfl hy the neck for :i ong perle of-time to enable the surgeons'to construct'the-cztst. 13o

esenei By my invention, however, it is only necessary to suspend the person for a time sufti cient to'allow one of the inelastic casings to be ittedto the body, after which this casing may be inflated, asrdescribed, and a plaster cast.constructed thereon.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my' inven terpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

l desire it also to'.be understood that the language usedin the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention her-.ein described and all statements of the scope oi.' the invern tion `which as a matter of language might be said t'o fall therebetween.

described my invention, what claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A dressform comprising a easing of substantially non-elastic material mounted upon a support, an inatable form located within said casing and furnished with means whereby the same may be infie-ted, and a flexible member extending from one wall of said casing through an opening in said form and having a detachable connection With the opposite Wall of said casing,

2. A dress-form comprising an inflatable form mounted upon a fixed support and having an opening extendin T therethrough, a casing of inelastic material within which said form is inclosed, and a cord or tape which extends through the opening in said Jform and provides a detachable tying means between the opposite walls of said easing.

3. A dress-form.'comprising a collapsible form member, and a relatively inelastic -forni member superposed thereon, both of said form members being mounted upon a support, said inelastic form member being pare tially retained in predetermined shape as to diametrical measurements by a cord or tape extending throughthe same and connected Wit-h opposite Walls thereof. 4. A dress-form comprising a collapsible form member secured to a fixed support, a substantially inelastic form member super-y posed upon said form member and dctachably secured to said support, and a cord or tape secured to one Wall of said inelastic form member and having a detachable con neet-ion with the opposite wall thereof, said cord or tape operating partially to retain said dress-form in predetermined shape as to diametrical measurements.

5. A dress-form comprising an inflatable form member secured upon a lined support, a substantially inelastic form member supere posed upon said form member and detachM ably secured to said support,'and a plurality of cords or tapes secured to one wall of said inelastic form member and having detachabley connections with the opposite wall 7c thereof, said cords or tapes operating partlally to retain said dress-form in predetermined shape.

6. A dress-form comprising an inflatable form member mounted upon fixed support, 7 5

a form member of substantially inelastic material superposed thereon and dctachably connected with said suppoi said inflatable form member being provided with a plurality of openings extending therethrough, Se

attached to one wall olt said inelastic casing, 9o

extending through a plurality of openings in said bag and connected to the opposite Wall of said casing, whereby said casing is partial ly retained in shape.

8. A dress-form comprising a casing-"form olf inelastic material haying flexible members whereby the same may be detachably connected to a support, an inflatable form for said casing, said 'form being provided with a plurality of' openings, and 'flexible bands eX- roo tending `from one wall of said casing through said openings and connected with an opposite wall of said casing,

Q. A dress-form comprising a collapsible outer casing of substantially nonwelastic mareg,

terial secured to a support, an inner form provided with means whereby the same may be inliated, and adjustable means connecting together opposite walls olf said casing whereby the diainetrioal dimensions oi' said casing r 1o may be altered at will.

l0. A (hess-form comprising a collapsible outer casing of substantially non-elastic niaterial mounted upon a support, an inner form rovidedwit lineans whereb the same u may be inflated, a liexible member for con y necting together opposite walls of said casing,

lengthl and means Vfori changing the operative ol said fle. ible member whereby the metrieal dimensions ot' said 'casing may be rec changed at will.

il. A dress-form comprising an inflatable form of elastiematerial secured upon a support, a casing of relatively inelastic material inclosinv said form, the opposite Walls oi' said r e 5 casing eing tied by flexible connecting means, and means `for shortening or lengthening said' ilexible connecting means to alter the di ametrical dimensions of said easing l2. A dress-form comprising n collapsible. 3o

forni member secured to ixed support, a substantially inelastic forni member super posed upon said Erst-mentioned form member and detachably secured to said support, a cord or tape secured 4to one Wall of said inelastic member and having a detachable connection with the opposite Wall thereof, said cord or tape operating partially to retain said dress-form in shape, and means for adjusting the efl'ective length of said cord or tape whereby the dianietrical dimensions of said inelastic member may be changed .at Will.V

13. AV dress form comprising a casinr formed of substantially non-elastic material mounted upon a support, an inflatable lining for said casing,.and means extending transverisely through said casing -and through an opening in said lining adapted to form anadjustable connection between the opposite Walls of said casing whereby the shape thereoil may be changed at Will when the lining is in yan inflated condition.

14. A dress -form comprising a casing formed of substantially non-elastic material mounted upon a support, an inflatable lining for said casing, and al lurality of cords or tapes attached to a Wallpof said casing which extend transversely .through a plurality of openings in said lining and through an opening in the, opposite Wall of said casing, said cords or tapes being adapted to have their effective length lengthened or shortened whereby the form of said casing may bel changed at Will.

ssefiei l5. A pneumaticdress-form-ccniprising, in combination, a casin adapted to be held 1n a distended condition -y pneumatic pressure, I

means extending transversely ytherethrough andconnecting certain parts or areas thereofadapted partially .to maintain the saine in transversely therethrough and connecting `certain parts or at Will to alter the diametrical l(li-- `predetermined shape, and means whereby,

and -a plurality of A' .areas thereof adapted partially 'to maintain the same in predetermined shape,

1 7. A pneumatic dress-form comprising, in

combination, a .substantially inelastic casin adapted to be inflated and heldin distend condition by pneumati cpressure, anda ilexible member extending transversely through said form and connecting saidparts or areas thereof adapted partially to maintain vthe same in predetermined shape, said flexible member having a detachable connection with one of the vWalls of said form. n

In testimony whereof I- aiixmy signature in the presence of two witnesses. i c

PRUDENCE AN N SMITH. y l/Vitnesses:

MABEL J. WoLco'r'r, JENNIE R. LEICH; 

